--- product_id: 19522505 title: "The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears" price: "207 kr" currency: DKK in_stock: true reviews_count: 10 url: https://www.desertcart.dk/products/19522505-the-beautiful-things-that-heaven-bears store_origin: DK region: Denmark --- # The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears **Price:** 207 kr **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears - **How much does it cost?** 207 kr with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.dk](https://www.desertcart.dk/products/19522505-the-beautiful-things-that-heaven-bears) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description desertcart.com: The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears: 9781594482854: Mengestu, Dinaw: Books Review: Beautify heartbreaking inspiring and unvarnished stoeytelling - A beautifully written book that captures the crush of disappointment and the strength of the human spirit. This writer moved from a refugee hauling luggage fir a racist employer in Capital hill dc to a small store owner and then got his MFA at Georgetown and became a writer of note...and he has not forgotten the hundreds of thousands who are still stuck in a purgatory of dead end low wage jobs, lousy housing, and racist employers. Lyrical beautiful book. If you want sugar coating look elsewhere, but if you want unvarnished and heartbreaking truth, this is your book! Review: Worthy Debut Novel About the Immigrant Experience - Mengestu's debut novel brings to life the American immigrant experience in a touching way. The novel is about an Ethiopian immigrant, Sepha, and his experiences in the Washington DC area over a seven month period in the 1970s. Mengestu captures the hopes and dreams, as well as the struggles and disappointment, of those coming to this country for a better life than in their native land. Sepha owns a small neighborhood grocey story around Logan Circle, a community underground gentrification. We see his hopes for a more prosperous and successful business grow as work crews start renovating local buildings. Most notably, Sepha decides to start selling sandwiches and buys fresh deli meats and promotes this to what he hopes will be his new clientele. The two dimensions of this book I found so rewarding are the interplay and relationships of the various characters with Sepha as well as the ups and downs of Sepha's experience representing the broader ebb and flow of immigrant experience. Judith, a single white academic restores a four story brick neighborhood in the building and moves in with her wiser-than-her years 11 year old Naomi. The depth of Naomi's character was wonderful -- a somewhat sassy, precocious but sweet girl. We see Naomi take to Sepha and a deep bond created between the two of them -- Sepha becomes a father/older brother figure to her. Especially poignant was the joy and fun they had reading of the Brothers Karamazov together in the store. At the same time Sepha begins to fall for Judith and we see the impact that race and language has on their relationship. Once again, the hope of a bright future gives way to the dim reality of the struggle most first generation immigrants face. Mengestu ultimately crafts a very satisfying and enjoyable read. It brings smiles and laughter to the reader as well sadness and disappointment -- working both at the character level but at the broader level of immigrant experience. Mengestu is a young author that you'll want to keep your eye out for in the future. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #278,561 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #554 in Cultural Heritage Fiction #2,217 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction #8,169 in Literary Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars (701) | | Dimensions | 5.16 x 0.59 x 7.99 inches | | Edition | Reprint | | ISBN-10 | 1594482853 | | ISBN-13 | 978-1594482854 | | Item Weight | 6.8 ounces | | Language | English | | Print length | 240 pages | | Publication date | February 5, 2008 | | Publisher | Riverhead Books | ## Images ![The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/819pmNIvC3L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beautify heartbreaking inspiring and unvarnished stoeytelling *by M***M on May 23, 2021* A beautifully written book that captures the crush of disappointment and the strength of the human spirit. This writer moved from a refugee hauling luggage fir a racist employer in Capital hill dc to a small store owner and then got his MFA at Georgetown and became a writer of note...and he has not forgotten the hundreds of thousands who are still stuck in a purgatory of dead end low wage jobs, lousy housing, and racist employers. Lyrical beautiful book. If you want sugar coating look elsewhere, but if you want unvarnished and heartbreaking truth, this is your book! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Worthy Debut Novel About the Immigrant Experience *by W***O on June 27, 2008* Mengestu's debut novel brings to life the American immigrant experience in a touching way. The novel is about an Ethiopian immigrant, Sepha, and his experiences in the Washington DC area over a seven month period in the 1970s. Mengestu captures the hopes and dreams, as well as the struggles and disappointment, of those coming to this country for a better life than in their native land. Sepha owns a small neighborhood grocey story around Logan Circle, a community underground gentrification. We see his hopes for a more prosperous and successful business grow as work crews start renovating local buildings. Most notably, Sepha decides to start selling sandwiches and buys fresh deli meats and promotes this to what he hopes will be his new clientele. The two dimensions of this book I found so rewarding are the interplay and relationships of the various characters with Sepha as well as the ups and downs of Sepha's experience representing the broader ebb and flow of immigrant experience. Judith, a single white academic restores a four story brick neighborhood in the building and moves in with her wiser-than-her years 11 year old Naomi. The depth of Naomi's character was wonderful -- a somewhat sassy, precocious but sweet girl. We see Naomi take to Sepha and a deep bond created between the two of them -- Sepha becomes a father/older brother figure to her. Especially poignant was the joy and fun they had reading of the Brothers Karamazov together in the store. At the same time Sepha begins to fall for Judith and we see the impact that race and language has on their relationship. Once again, the hope of a bright future gives way to the dim reality of the struggle most first generation immigrants face. Mengestu ultimately crafts a very satisfying and enjoyable read. It brings smiles and laughter to the reader as well sadness and disappointment -- working both at the character level but at the broader level of immigrant experience. Mengestu is a young author that you'll want to keep your eye out for in the future. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Another Great Addition to African Literature *by I***N on December 12, 2017* If you live in DC, this story is a must read. I read this book sitting on a bench in Logan’s circle, having walked along the same blocks the book’s main character Sepha Stephanos had because I missed the G2 bus mentioned. Mengestu has an incredible way of pulling you into a setting and into a character’s head. Sepha Stephanos is not your average protagonist: he is soft spoken and deeply introspective, constantly anxious yet unmotivated to change is situation, confused about how to approach his love interest Judith yet sleeps with prostitutes, running from his life in Ethiopia yet unsure how to leave it behind. These internal conflicts leave the character seeming very raw and human. His relationships with other immigrants Joe and Kenneth and his uncle provide multiple perspectives on the reality of the American Dream and motivations for seeking it while Stephanos’ burgeoning relationships with Judith and her daughter Naomi personalize this account of DC gentrification, drawing themes of hope and starting anew across class lines. This book lives on the edge of so much contrast- rich and poor, black and white, American and African. Although we get to know Stephano’s on an intimate level, his friends’ quirk of naming African dictators and coups contributes to the larger political nature of this story. Mengestu’s story of an African Immigrant fits neatly in with the larger genre of African Immigrant literature alongside greats like Adichie. The ability of the story to be so specifically set in Logan Circle and feel so universal creates a spellbinding story, one whose lack of resolution feels frustrating yet appropriate. The struggle for acceptance and identity feels relatable to many, but the context in running from a father dead because of Stephano’s own political ambitions appeals to the larger publishing world in pursuit of stories of pain and suffering. I recommend this book to those who actively question the world they live in- while the story itself is excellent, I believe you miss the point if you only learn Stephano’s story. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.dk/products/19522505-the-beautiful-things-that-heaven-bears](https://www.desertcart.dk/products/19522505-the-beautiful-things-that-heaven-bears) --- *Product available on Desertcart Denmark* *Store origin: DK* *Last updated: 2026-05-05*